Music, Thoughts, and Other Things.

WHAT I THINK

 

Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals

October 16, 2013

 

Powerful guitars, a bold nature, and an overall loudness create Sleigh Bells' energetic sound, and even though title track, “Bitter Rivals” maintains this foundation, the remainder of Bitter Rivals is boring and streamlined in comparison to their older work. Many of the tracks sound too much the same, Alexis Krauss' vocals are much too pop-y, and different pieces seem to be dropped in the middle of chaos without any purposeful execution.

 

Chanting, synths, and jarring instrumentals jump in your face after an acoustic introduction to first track, “Bitter Rivals” among the backdrop of barking dogs. There is a sense of togetherness in all of this mess though, as it holds together with a steady beat and anticipation. However, this cohesion is lost throughout the album and progressively becomes worse. During the third track, “Minnie,” transitions between the verses and choruses are choppy, and Krauss' high pitches are almost distressing. A weird interlude is also just kind of stuck into this song. “Sing Like a Wire” is formulaic, and therefore doesn't bring anything new to the table. The bridge to this track sounds like a 1990s computer booting up, and not in a cool way. Fortunately, a smooth transition brings us to “Young Legends”, but the song itself is uninteresting, the power is compromised, and Krauss takes on a role as an annoying pop star. This tendency continues on “Tiger Kit”, which simply doesn't grab me. The vocals and instrumentals are least compatible here, and the final line, “make like a banana and split” is a high school colloquialism at best. “You Don't Get Me Twice” also has a contradictory ending with little to no transition. As the album concludes with “Love Sick”, it sounds the least like the Sleigh Bells we know and love from 2010 album Treats, as it is a disappointing finish to a half hearted work.

 

By combining a sweet yet surprisingly abrasive vocalist with hard rock fundamentals, Sleigh Bells, at least in the past, have proven to their supportive and quirky audience that they have a special ability to make something beautiful out of chaos. Bitter Rivals is a bummer because its sloppy combinations and overall annoying texture. 

 

Love Inks: Generation Club

September 23, 2013

 

Generation Club is bare, beautiful, raw, simple, and steadily rolls by. Each song subtly builds up with the consistency of a drum machine, and because of Love Ink's minimalist nature, each nuance stands out and calls a purposeful amount of attention to it. For instance, the echos and slight slide in Sherry Leblanc's voice are that much more sultry, the percussion is that much more foundational, and the electronic effects are that much more awakening. Leblanc's vocals tend to be the main focus of each track, however, “Outta Sight” has more of a single vibe to it, and all of the pieces work together to make it cohesively catchy. While all of their songs bring something new to the table, consistencies exist that make them all identifiably Love Inks'. Each begins with the drum machine alone, lulling us into their rhythm right away. The beats are not heavy or dance-y, but rather feel natural, like a heartbeat or everyday movement. Also, each track has its has its own pattern of repetition and wraps everything up as concisely as possible. Truly, the definition of lo-fi is seen in Generation Club's brevity, because they capture what they need to with as little time and effort as possible, which in this case is ten songs around three minutes or less.

 

Opening track, “Hold Out”, establishes the effortlessness that can be expected on the rest of the album. While the first two songs embrace minimalism, “Outta Sight” is slightly fuller and sounds more radio-friendly. “Night Lunch” gives Leblanc a chance to reveal her intriguing personality: carefree, but not reckless. “You can bid me well / I'm not about to follow” she sweetly teases, and her direct comments are nearly whispered with intention. In “Magazine Street”, we see her showcase her ability to know when to be legato and flowy and when to hit words with stronger force and bite. Deeper meanings in the lyrics are established through stylistic techniques. For instance, a begging tone is seen in “Solar Diary” through the repetition of “believe me”, that echos the track, “Blackeye” from 2011 album E.S.P. “Waiting on a Plane” is a perfect conclusion, lazily expressing how “time...drifts...on.”

 

Fans who have watched the previously released “Outta Sight” music video will find that the rest of Generation Club is perfectly complementary. With a U.S. tour this fall and European shows at the end of the year as well, it is safe to anticipate that Love Inks will grow from an emerging band to a lo-fi gem in the next few months. 

 

 

Mac Miller: Watching Movies with the Sound Off

September 6, 2013

 

A tiny parental advisory warning label is the only thing from preventing us from seeing Mac Miller sitting totally nude at a plain wooden table on the cover of Watching Movies with the Sound Off. A red wall acts as a bold backdrop, but what stands out most is the stark look on his face and open body language, as if he wanted to be completely bare and observed. In this exact way, the new album is an exposed, expectant, and naked version of Mac Miller. With greater introspection and a heavier drugged-out sound, he has moved beyond his place in the frat-rap culture into something more dark and mature.

 

Opening track, “The Star Room” sets the laid back and serious tone. A minute long intro filled with experimental sounds takes a leap in a different direction from his older, predictable yet catchy tracks on Blue Slide Park. A dark feeling that sounds like it could have been inspired by Outkast's ATLiens appears on “I'm Not Real”, which features and generously hands the spotlight to Earl Sweatshirt. Repetitive tones on top of a creepy, operatic background give this song its ambient eeriness. Both “Bird Call” and bonus track “Goosebumpz” are wildly explicit, but not in the party-boy way we've seen Mac embrace in the past. Instead, it seems as if he is exposing his desperate and disturbing need for women and self-satisfaction. “Red Dot Music” could sum up his entire album's inspiration though, where “it must be the drugs that got us thinking crazy shit / looking up into the clouds where the angels sit”. With hardly any background music, Action Bronson takes the opportunity to ask through spoken word, “Who the f**k is Mac Miller?”, and pointing out what could be a common criticism: “I liked you better when you were Easy Mac with the cheesy raps.” This intimate questioning reveals his identity crisis and conscious choice to move beyond easily digestible tunes and into something more artistically complex. “The Star Room” and “Watching Movies” stand out as my personal favorite tracks because of the way they remind me of 90s rap in its heyday, thought all sixteen tracks blend together well to create an album that sounds best with one continuous listen.

 

Mac Miller's nonchalant nature and soundscapes outside the box are certainly unexpected, though appreciated. I'm happy to see that he's taking the opportunity to grow beyond his comfort zone and deliver a piece of work that is completely unexpected.

 

Cultivate Music Festival 

August 20, 2013

 

Chipotle's Cultivate Festival is an event that takes place in a few cities across the U.S. every year in order to feed people yummy Mexican food, educate them on sustainability and farming, and supply us with beautiful free music. This year, I attended the festival in Denver at City Park, and experienced three totally different and awesome groups: Allen Stone, Blitzen Trapper, and Cold War Kids.

 

Allen Stone graced the small-scale crowd with what he called his “Northwest Soul Music” for a show that was “not a performance” but a community experience. With a groovy long-sleeved shirt, huge glasses hailing from the trends of the seventies, and long, curly, strawberry-blond hair, Stone looks nothing like you'd expect of a soulful singer. However, his unique quirks are what make him so iconic, slightly nerdy, and instantly loveable. The set began with Stone asking the audience to stretch their arms out and shake their hands with energy, which brought everyone out of their comfort zone in order to set the participatory mood. Focused on the crowd as vital piece of the show, he encouraged good energy and vibes, requested a synchronized sway that took effect for an entire song start to finish, and organized a dance-off. Huge grins, dancing, and finger-snapping came almost involuntary to everybody who watched, especially as the talented five person band accompanied Stone's energetic and smooth voice. His wide range was incredibly impressive and seemed effortless, and he showed off his skills effectively during the floating bridge of “Celebrate Tonight”. During his best song, “Sleep,” lyrics naturally slid from his mouth as if they had a velvety texture and just flowed so easily. He also embraced a scream-and-shout style at times, and even dramatically dropped to the ground with exhaustion after a long run to the top of his range. Generally, his tone was bright and straightforward. Stone stepped into his role as a “multi-instrumentalist” (vocalist, guitarist, whistler) after a few songs, but mostly stuck to his role as vocal frontman. Once Stone turned his back to the audience to shake his ass in our faces, it became most clear that he and his crew were definitely there be rowdy and have a good time.“Treat You Right” originally by Bob Marley became jazzed out with sliding vocals, an added piano, intentional pauses, and varying rhythm. During the grand finale the organist began pounding on his instrument with his feet and flopped down like a dead man while Stone “revived” him for a few bars. As they left the stage, I found myself still smiling wide and humming along to his blended jazz, reggae, soul, and pop tunes in my head.

 

There is no commonality on the surface among the members of Blitzen Trapper, and this is what makes them badasses. One guy wore a cutoff shirt to show off his arm tat, a couple of them sported casual button-ups, another was cleanly dressed in a tie and suspenders, and one wore a two-dollar gray v-neck. What ties these Oregonians together is obviously their musicianship, because they are beyond the hype of looks and other fluff. As I wondered during a few songs how to describe their laid-back vibe, the answer finally came to me when the sun came out behind the clouds, leading vocalist Eric Earley to throw on his aviators. They're exactly like those sunglasses: classic, a good fit for everybody, and timeless. Opening with a true rock n' roll song, their hint of twang that would make me want to classify them as country western if that meant what it actually was supposed to. By that I mean that I want to have Blitzen Trapper playing in the background while I cruise down a two lane highway. Was that too cliché? If it is, I don't care. Perhaps a better category for them to fit into would be blues-rock, but even that doesn't quite capture it. I was even nearly fooled to think that their original “Black River Highway” was a cover of an oldie. Whatever genre they belong to, their basic five piece setup (bass, guitar, vocals, piano, and drums) didn't keep them inside any boxes at all. Earley's voice was folksy with depth, and he capitalized on repetition to create a steady sound. A slow, laid back rhythm throughout most of their set fit their attitude perfectly, and a few members nonchalantly took a smoke break while the attention focused on Earley. Drummer Brian Adrian Koch unsuspectingly accompanied with beautiful backup vocals, especially on “Love the Way You Walk Away”, and when Marty Marquis on the keyboard joined in to sing a three-part harmony during “Heaven and Earth”, it was like magic. Like any classic folk, their lyrics were storytelling and easy to learn. Even though they only played a handful of songs, they filled the set well as they added a few minutes of instrumental jam onto the end of each one. My personal favorite was “Heart Attack”, a shout-y track off of their album coming out next month. They finished just as casually as they began, rolled with a few technical difficulties with ease, and gave a performance that was entirely music-focused: the way it was meant to be.

 

Fearlessness and high energy immediately took over the stage as musty lo-fi headliners Cold War Kids began their performance. While edgy hints of garage rock, they were not necessarily dark, but simply powerful and sounded right at high volumes (especially and fittingly during “Louder Than Ever”). With a keyboard focus and percussive overall sound, these Los Angeles natives inspired not just enthusiastic foot tapping, but foot slamming. Nathan Willet, the lead singer and guitarist, had an anthemeic voice with a high register that had traces of Bono with an attitude. His biting vocals created a tension and release that made each song grow and recover naturally. Every immediate rise and fall resulted in his eyes squinting, and they would stay like that. Though Willet was charismatic, most of the draw of Cold War Kids is the power in the keyboards. Rhythmic changes also kept things interesting, and they remained so spot-on that their instrumentals probably could have been rapped over. Each song ended with abruptness, but was clean. Though I was surprised and disappointed that they didn't play “We Used to Vacation”, the crowd was more than pleased with the performance of “Hang Me Up to Dry”, as Willet's hand gesturing became energetic and dramatic. “Hospital” was, in my opinion, their second best track, and most of the attention focused on keyboard and Willet himself as he took over the piano. It ended with an additional few minutes of instrumental break, which was much needed, and showcased their talent as overall musicians. Subtly sassy “Saint John” wrapped up the set, and their classic rock influences became clear. Matthew Shwartz gave an amazing solo on the piano, reminding everybody at the end that he is one of Cold War Kids' major contributors. 

 

 

Grizzly Bear - CONCERT REVIEW

August 7, 2013

 

Grizzly Bear are like a rhetorical question: when nothing totally resolves, the listener has to fill in the gap themselves, and even though something seems to be missing, there's beauty to be found in the ambiguity. As the members approached the back-lit, single-colored, smokey stage at the Ogden Theater in Denver, their silhouettes stayed dark and ominous until they reached the climatic chorus of their first track, “Speak in Rounds” when the lights flashed frantically. The song came to a close and transitioned perfectly into an outro that reminded me of a really good dream – the kind you can't shake the next morning. In fact, it took about twenty minutes before there was any silence at all, and when there was, the stage turned completely dark, giving us a chance to stop and digest everything that had just happened. The entire set was fluid, haunting, and effortless. Co-lead vocalist Ed Droste's eyes remained half-open in an unbreakable focus throughout as if he was having his own spiritual experience. Perhaps the best way to describe the performance would be enigmatic – the kind that makes you hold your hands to your face with every rising crescendo and four part harmony. The well orchestrated lights truly reflected their overall versatility, as they could gradually and slowly reach a climax that broke out in quick and bright flashes, especially during “Sleeping Ute” and “Yet Again”. Creativity reached its peak when they nearly blinded the audience during “Sun In Your Eyes”. I was disappointed to stand in a spot where I couldn't directly see drummer Christopher Bear, since they are such a percussion-based band. However, their placement on stage made sense: they basically stood in a line with Droste and and co-vocalist Daniel Rossen offset a little forward. About half of their songs came from the newest album, Shields, but some of the older gems were crowd favorites. “Colorado” obviously won our hearts over, and “Two Weeks” earned the most singalong participation. Clearly, the fan favorite was the indescribably beautiful acoustic version of “All We Ask” during the encore, as Rossen played the guitar solo and Bear and Droste shared a mic for a perfect duet. “Knife” was another wise encore pick. It had been about six years since they had last paid Denver a visit, making every announcement about their gratefulness to be there that much more special. Droste threw some humor into the show with a fakeout of a Rihanna cover, but in general, the between-song-banter was kept to a minimum. As expected, the cohesion between all of the vocalists was the highlight, as they almost had a call-and-response type of connection between one another. Rossen's steady and mature voice created a strong foundation, Droste brought every song to its ambient and floating destination, and the woodwinds played by Chris Taylor (who also acts as the band's producer) were also unexpectedly powerful. Grizzly Bear delivered a performance that was unforgettable for its magical ambiance and eerie virtue.

 

Set list:

Sleeping Ute

Cheerleader

Colorado

Yet Again

A Simple Answer

Foreground

Gun-Shy

Ready Able

While You Wait for The Others

What's Wrong

Half Gate

Sun in Your Eyes

 

 

Kanye West: Yeezus

June 22, 2013

 

Before Yeezus, I had a pretty good handle on the separation between Kanye the Person and Kanye the Genius Artist. In fact, I even had an unusual respect for the purposeful and creative way he pissed people off to gain a name for himself and thus sell more records in the end. When it came to the battle of Kanye vs. The World, I was generally on the side of Kanye because I tend to not really care less what musician's lifestyles are like outside of their work, unless the two undeniably effect each other. Though the explicit nature of his past albums were hard to digest for the everyday listener, the shock value was present for the sake of social commentary and artistic expression. Yeezus is a different story.
 

 

To pull the blasphemy card seems entirely too easy. Seriously, Kanye? This seems like the least creative way to gain a reaction from people. He's always been one to speak his mind honestly, but this time it seems insincere to me. Despite his astronomical ego levels, I don't believe that Kanye honestly thinks of himself as a god, instead he went for the best go-to shocking claim. His sexual lyrics revolving around violence are obviously present to get a rise out of an audience, and this kind of self-gratifying attitude has the power to actually damage people, not just make them kind of mad. I'm not advocating for censorship here, I'm just asking for some tact when it comes to women and their objectified bodies. I know, I know, this isn't the first or last time that hip hop will degrade females, but especially in Kanye's case, I think he was ignorant to the kind of influence he has.

 

All deeper messages aside, the sound is pretty good. Though I wouldn't say it's his best, I always have an appreciation for rappers who step into the realm of experimental. With sirens, synths, and primal screams, Kanye goes beyond house party jams to a create piece of art that has to be completely absorbed, not just listened to. Altogether, it's dark in an intriguing way, leaving the listener trying to decide if what they just experienced was truly beautiful or truly disturbing. To me, it's both, and that's what makes it impressive. In several ways, Kanye takes bold risks that ultimately benefit him, with the exception of the heavily-relied-on autotune on most tracks. Again, I think this was one of those decisions that appears to be just too easy.

 

Kanye's unconventional beats and creative risks make Yeezus worth a solid listen, but I'd be lying if I said I could really handle every track (“I'm in It” is too much and therefore will be skipped every time). With the direction he's headed in musically, I'll be curious to know if he continues on the track of electronica or treats this as his “out there” album.

 

A final note: I'll be the first to say that I wholeheartedly believe that he strategically planned his step into parenthood to occur at the same time that his album was released to receive as much press as possible. As if having Kim Kardashian as a mom wasn't a solid enough setup, this seems like a super healthy start to NORTHWEST** 's life... 

 

**What the hell were they thinking

**Kanye West: naming children after geographical areas before it was cool.

**Kanye West: too trendy for this planet to handle

 

 

 

Devotchka - CONCERT REVIEW

June 20, 2013

 

Just as the indie protagonist embarks on their adventurous road trip, so the music of Devotchka would probably cue. With what seemed to be Eastern European, Latin, Indie, and Folk influences, this Denver-based band impressed a crowd of well-dressed, tame, thirtysomething London hipsters who foot stomped and swayed in approval. The venue was of such high quality that when we walked inside, we took a seat on the non-sticky ground as we waited for the music to begin. Ornate decorations lined the walls, and it really felt more like a large-scale dinner party than a concert house.

 

The opening act was a one woman show whose clothing reflected the youth of a girl in her twenties when in reality she appeared to be an entire generation older than her hopes. She capitalized on repetition, and by repetition of course I mean playing the same two chords for a twenty minute set. Fortunately, she was comically terrible enough to make the situation humorous instead of just awkward, so we were entertained nonetheless. Her nonsensical lyrics revolved around “babies,” “needles,” and “falling in love and getting f**ked.” She provided a bit of unintended humor if nothing else.

 

In contrast, the members of Devotchka were dressed with class, and took sips of wine on stage rather than cheap beer, and the bottle was even used as a musical tool at one point during the encore. The lead singer stood self-assured with the speckles of gray hair to prove he was a seasoned musician, giving him a George-Clooney kind of credibility. He was clearly a classically trained musician, and the way his vibrato rang through during long notes would have made my operatic voice teacher proud. His voice mimicked the violin with an effortlessly high range and an ability to climb up notes evenly like stepping up stairs, however, the attention was mostly instrumental, and the role of his singing was more to accompany everyone else rather than dominate the show. By drumming silently to himself constantly, we could see how he was in touch with the percussion. Their energy together as a group was totally cohesive, probably because they were all talented multi-instrumentalists. One woman played the stand-up bass/tuba/flute, and sang, another played percussion/trumpet (sometimes interchanging between the two during one song), another sang and played several string instruments, and another played the violin/accordion. The violin solo that kicked off the performance was powerful by itself, and set the scene for a string-focused sound overall.

 

Devotchka gave a bunch of mature and quiet London-ers a chance to hoot n' holler a bit and dance around, so for that I congratulate them. Glad to call them my own Colorado people.

 

 

 

LDN FD 19:10

May 25, 2013

 

Our conversation in the subway went a little like this -

Kara: “Are you excited?”

Me: “Why? Don't I look excited?”

Kara: “No, you look terrified.”

 

Once we were on our way to Victoria Park, I ran through every possible mishap in my mind that could have prevented us from this experience. It was too good to be true, so obviously something had to go wrong. But because I already had the hope in my mind, I was terrified to be let down, because I tend to take disappointment pretty poorly.

 

LDN FD 19:10 was what I read on Local Natives page as I was casually browsing through my facebook this morning. Through a strange turn of events, I ended up finding some evidence that probably supported the notion that they would be in London (LDN) playing at Field Day festival (FD), a short twenty minute subway ride away, at 7:10 p.m. (19:10 military time).

 

Me: “I think the fact that the sun is shining in London is an auspicious sign about tonight.”

Kara: “What does auspicious mean?”

Me: “It means we're going to see Local Natives.”

 

We approached a medium-sized tent with a number of London hipsters listening to a band I have clearly never heard of before, but once that act was done, the entire crowd cleared out. We effortlessly made our way to front and center, when still panicky with doubt and disbelief, I questioned whether Local Natives were even going to show up or if this whole thing was just a sick joke that I wasted money on.

 

And then, from about ten yards away, I spotted an iconic mustache that belonged to the one and only Taylor Rice. The realization that I was lucky enough to stumble upon this situation made watching their sound check alone worth the money I paid.

 

“We didn't know if anyone would come...because we didn't tell anyone...” he announced.

 

The only (and I mean the one and only) disappointment was that their set only lasted about thirty five minutes, which was almost a tease. As predicted, they opened with “You and I”, and then they squeezed in mix of their most popular tracks from both Hummingbird and Gorilla Manor, including my favorite, “Heavy Feet”, and the classics: “Wide Eyes”, “Airplanes”, and the powerful finisher, “Sun Hands”.

 

What I found most engaging about this show was how everything complemented each other. The lights were vital to the mood, as they were stark and blinding during the bridge of “Sun Hands”, flashing wildly during the chorus of “Breakers”, and completely dark off during pauses. Also, the contrasts between soft and simple ooo's with near-shouting made each mood more powerful in comparison, and then there was the moment when Ayer threw the tambourine off stage, which just spoke for itself. The emphasis on their vocals and percussion were seen in the way that each member contributed to both of these in addition to their primary instruments, and they all brought their own unique energy to the stage, especially in such an intimate setting.

 

When the band announced that they'd be “hanging around the festival,” my friend and I desperately searched for them with so much enthusiasm that we accidentally ended up in a men's bathroom (oops), and though we did not find our musical soulmates during the hour we spent walking around, it was probably good for us to spend some time processing the near-miracle that stumbled upon us. 

 

Local Natives: Hummingbird

February 8, 2013

 

To say that I'm obsessed with Local Natives' new album, Hummingbird, would be an understatement. After listening through it countless times since its release last week, I've managed to infiltrate every public place with the sound of my less-than-subtle humming. After a long awaited arrival, I've managed to ignore everything else in my music library in order to focus on every bit of complexity that Hummingbird has to offer. With more depth and power than their debut album, Gorilla Manor, Local Natives have avoided the typical "sophomore slump" to fill a void that their audience didn't even know was there.

As expected, Hummingbird is filled with the prominent percussion, four-part blended harmonies, and Kelcey Ayer's floating falsetto that can be found on Gorilla Manor. Unlike the last album though, their growth lies mostly in the dramatic rise and fall in tracks like "Heavy Feet" and "Wooly Mammoth", the underlying heartbreak in Ayer's lyrics regarding the loss of his mother, and the overwhelming instrumental depth behind every track. With spot-on teamwork, Local Natives bring an incredibly sense of community and togetherness to this album. Whereas Gorilla Manor was dandy, folksy background noise for long distance road trips, Hummingbird steps in as the kind of art that moves a person to tears simply for what it is.

Though Hummingbird really does flow best as a whole if listened to in track order and in one sitting, some notable songs worth listening to on their own include: "Heavy Feet", "Ceilings", "Wooly Mammoth", "Mt. Washington", and of course what would be the "hit" if they had one, "Breakers".

Finally, watch this with caution: it may inspire you spend a large sum of money on concert tickets.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTF2YSKVXtY

 

 

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - CONCERT REVIEW

October 24, 2012

 

Once upon a time there was a Caucasian hip hop artist from the Pacific Northwest whose independent album went to the top of iTunes within hours of being released. This guy defies the stereotypes of his genre with humility, honesty, and not to mention, musical talent. Empty lyrics of materialism, beauty, and sex make rap a genre that's not often renowned for its social awareness. There's a rapper out there who's something of an anomaly, and for that, his fame is entirely genuine and well-deserved.

 

Ben Haggerty, more famously known as Macklemore, has an outstanding sense of community. His Seattle pride comes out in songs like "The Town", as he praises the Northwest while intertwining a need to support his city, and the Sonics jersey he sported at his recent show in Spokane prompted quite the reaction from Washingtonians. The overall energy from the crowd was what truly fueled his performance, as this was especially clear during the encore when he stood humbly before all of the screaming people and soaked up the moment with eyes closing in near disbelief. Talented guest vocalists on almost every track of The Heist and their presence in Macklemore's live shows emphasize his love of a group effort, and his appreciation of the fan base is genuine because his listeners alone are the primary cause of his success since he rejected record labels. 

 

Honesty permeates Macklemore's entire persona. Up-front confessions about his past struggles with alcohol and other drugs prove the reality and danger of addictions and demonstrate the beauty in his sobriety, as he can be an example of "Starting Over". While stressing themes of equality and acceptance, he also utilizes opportunities to openly share his own personal beliefs and questions about human purpose, God, beauty, consumerism, and social issues such as same sex marriage, which he advocates for in "Same Love". His call to action reaches our generation in a way we can easily comprehend: through really good rap.  

 

With help from genius Ryan Lewis, The Heist is a masterpiece of solid jams and deeper messages. I'll be the first to admit that I didn't truly explore everything Macklemore had to offer until relatively recently. By the time I fell in love with The Unplanned Mixtape EP and The VS. Redux, tickets to his Spokane show had already sold out. In order to save everyone I met from endless whining, I sucked it up and coughed up the money for a secondhand ticket with no regrets. This put my expectations pretty high, and they were definitely fulfilled. The Heist had only been released a week prior, so the excitement for new hits, especially "Thrift Shop" was at its height, and in fact, thrift store funk was sported by most of the crowd in anticipation for that song alone. Perhaps the most incredible part of the show was the thirty minute encore, during which he took upon his ironic alter-ego for "And We Danced", and spent about a third of that time acknowledging his band and feeding off the audience's energy. 

 

Respect for Macklemore comes just as naturally as his talent.

 

 

Cake and the Lumineers - CONCERT REVIEW

July 31, 2012

 

Cake presented one of the most absurd shows I have ever seen. And I loved all of it. Plus, seeing them with my dad, who I had never been to Red Rocks with, was awesome. If you didn't already know, my father has pristine taste in music. He is the man, and has been my main influence in exploring music and pursuing opportunities to see live shows.

 

Anyways. Where was I?

 

Local folk band The Lumineers opened, which was most of the reason Cake was able to sell out Red Rocks, I think. There was something really special about seeing them play in their hometown, and the audience really connected with them too. Every member was wholeheartedly involved, whether or not they were even a part of a song. When they weren't all joining in on shout-y chorus numbers, they all mouthed the words as Wesley Schultz took the lead. They were all about smiles and foot stomping. "Ho Hey", their hit track, was surprisingly played toward the middle of the set, but it was clear by the crowd's involvement that The Lumineers are not simply a one-hit-wonder. "Stubborn Love", their closing song, also gained a large group of sing-a-long-ers, and was fittingly dedicated folks affected Aurora shootings to keep their "head up." Their performance was down to earth and overall lovely.

 

After a prolonged break between sets, new age superhero music filled the amphitheater for five minutes or so before Cake ran on stage. "Sad Songs and Waltzes" opened their set, which was odd, considering it is their least exciting song. Nevertheless, John McCrea's train conductor hat, t-shirt tuxedo, and monotone ramblings kept things interesting. Between songs, he would shout nonsensical observations, like, "BEAUTIFUL........HEALTHY......SHOUTING.......PEOPLE......SINGING.....ALONG.....TO......OUR....MUSIC." Never before at a concert had I heard a lead singer thank the peddle steel guitar player, but with Cake, this sort of thing should have been expected. Perhaps the most bizarre piece of the evening was the awarding of a tree to a lucky audience member that guessed its type (which was peach, since you were wondering). Though McCrea's antics were certainly entertaining, the most talented musician of the bunch was Vince DiFiore, who not only plays the trumpet that makes Cake so identifiable, but also alternated between a series of percussive instruments that I probably couldn't name if I tried. 

 

Cake's genre is hard to pinpoint, because their influences range from folk to, jazz, soul, hip hop, and indie rock. They showcased their quirkiness and talent well in the live setting in order to create a show that will stick in my head for a long while.

 

 

Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band - CONCERT REVIEW

July 19, 2012

 

The Josh Ritter concert at Mishawaka was a delightful affair. The Mish made a great impression on me, as it was my first time there. It was even smaller than I had expected: more like a really rich friend's backyard with a river running directly behind a stage than a concert venue.

My absolute favorite thing about Josh Ritter is his pure joy in performing. His eyes were closed and his smile constantly stretched bigger as the show went on. The love he has for playing live music seemed to make all the twenty and thirty something's in their expensive outdoorsy clothes dance around with grateful, happy hearts. I adore how Ritter lets his voice growl in the live setting, which adds fuel to his fire of excitement just to be there. He was also incredibly humble in acknowledging his Royal City Band after nearly every song. It was true that he had a lot to be thankful for, but his solo performances weren't lacking by any means. Personally, I was thankful that his bass player, Zach, had the most prominent and ridiculous mustache I may have ever seen. Ritter recognized his home roots by lining the stage with an Idaho flag. As he asked who was from his great state, I drew unnecessary attention to myself when I shouted that I was born there. I'm not ashamed. 

Toe-tappin' tunes and slow, swaying ballads alternated to create a solid two hour show. Peppy songs seemed to resonate better with me, and were more popular among the crowd that sang along. Sing-a-longs (and clap-a-longs) were greatly encouraged. Transitions between songs were concise if at all. Surprisingly, he began the set with a greater amount of exciting, well-known songs like "Mind's Eye", "Right Moves" and "Rumors", and wrapped up with more solo stuff that I probably couldn't even name. Unfortunately, this led to a more distracted me, not to mention, every person around us had a significant other that they couldn't stop PDA-ing with. When Ritter announced that they were going to take an instrumental break in order to facilitate "slow dance time," I thought I was just about to lose it, until I saw my cute married friends a few feet away and put my arm around my best buddy next to me and realized the world is a good place. It still kind of felt like middle school, though.

Ritter's overall demeanor is like an early high school crush: slightly intimidating, charming, perhaps awkward, but overall familiar. His all-black outfit was classy but not showy. It was almost like he had a physical connection to his music, for instance, when singing "...heart stops its beating," he literally stopped in his tracks, feeling whatever it was that moved him to write that in the first place. Most of his lyrics were laced with Western imagery, which was really beautiful in a setting like Mishawaka. The idea that too much of a good thing makes it less special actually exists, though. By the time we were running on an hour and forty minute show, I was wondering if the novelty would wear off. When the encore began two hours after they began, I discovered my answer. Call me an old lady, but I was ready to ride the hippy bus home and put my jammies on.

Even though I don't listen to Josh Ritter as I did a year ago, there is really something unique about his live performance. I'd like to believe he's a good person, and if not, at least he's jazzed about folk music. Yee-haw.

 

 

Blind Pilot, The Head and the Heart, and The Shins - CONCERT REVIEW

June 4, 2012

 

How ideal it was to begin the summer at a Red Rocks show. The weather was perfect, the company was wonderful, and the music was just so damn good.

After we spent a (not-so) brief wait in line to save the closest seats possible, Blind Pilot kicked off the show right. Their chill and sweet demeanor immediately set the mood for an overall pleasant evening. As poetic and insightful lyrics blended with late 90s folk inspired tunes, my heart melted for this band and their peaceful, delightful energy.

The Head and the Heart brought an equal level of joy with a little more pep. Seemingly timid at first, this Seattle-based group came out of their shell after a some warming up. After beginning with the newest album intro, "Cats and Dogs", their set followed with their popular and happy songs, including one of my favorites, "Coeur d'Alene", and of course gave tribute to the single, "Lost in My Mind". They blended well and had a great, exciting energy. During "Rivers and Roads", female lead Charity Rose Thielan unleashed her belting abilities, which struck the crowd with pure awe if nothing else. The keyboard truly carried the sound along with the wild drummer. Overall, I was so impressed with the performance and grateful to hear such beautiful music that tears filled my eyes. Yeah, really.

The Shins began their set with high-energy and dance-able tunes. More of the popular hits were played early on, like "Simple Song" and "New Slang". As the night went on, the songs and performance in general became more psychedelic than expected, especially during the encore, but this was welcomed and very cool. A silhouette of the newest album art suited as a backdrop as various bold colors were displayed one at a time behind it. Shapes were utilized in the lights, such as flowers and swirls, which usually aren't my thing, but worked appropriately with each unique song. Lead vocalist James Mercer clearly expressed his sincere love for Port of Morrow by beginning every song from the new album with, "I really love this one..." or "this is probably one of my new favorites." To me, this proved that he put his heart and soul into this new creation in order to genuinely admire every song in itself, which is incredibly respectable. In somewhat of a contrast, the audience seemed cheer much louder in reaction to Mercer prefacing songs that were older. Nevertheless, Port of Morrow was showcased thoroughly and was still accepted well. Slower songs were played more toward the end, but still remained interesting and intriguing. By far the best performed song off the new album that tripped everyone out in the best way possible was "Port of Morrow", and "Sleeping Lessons" seemed to be the most loved song by the audience. Guitarist Jessica Dobson was probably the most musically talented member of the group, and was so calm and nonchalant about her wicked skills. The set seemed short, probably because the time flew by so quickly as I was immersed in the perfect collaboration of this group. It really was a once in a lifetime experience.

 

Cults - CONCERT REVIEW

April 21, 2012

 

When wavering between the option of going to prom or seeing Cults perform live, let's just say that the decision wasn't too difficult. It's a completely underrated band that wouldn't compare to the sometimes-overrated high school dance scene. Among a small but vivacious group of young hipsters in funny sweaters, CU students, and (maybe) two or three individuals over age thirty, I experienced the high energy of everything youth should be at Boulder, Colorado's Fox Theatre.

Mrs. Magician and Specrals were both surprisingly impressive opening acts. With a Cage the Elephant type of "screw-you" attitude and a west coast charm to tone them down, Mrs. Magician was the perfect band to represent the young audience it catered to. They also embraced a bit of retro pop-ish chord progressions. Each song was bolder than the one it followed, especially tracks like "Nightlife" and "Don't Flatter Yourself". They put the crowd into a dancing mood with a well-crafted set and strong vibe.

Spectrals was and equally talented group, but a tad repetitive. Each song blended together in my mind, but they were impressive musicians. The quirky and hilarious cast of characters included their big, redheaded lead singer who vaguely resembled Raggedy Ann, a scrawny and witty electric keyboardist sporting a Beevus and Butthead t-shirt, a drum player with flow-y blond locks, and an outrageous middle aged, bald man who couldn't help but dance around the stage like Keith Richards. I loved how strange this combination was, and how comparable their energy was with one another. Their British, retro pop sound resembled Best Coast, and their interaction with the audience was a sweet as expected. We left with a series of memorable, thick-accented quotes from Raggedy Ann, my favorite being: "Well, it's too hot up here and I'm too ginger so this'll be our last song."

After a long-anticipated arrival, Cults bounced onstage following a five-minute synth build-up. They immediately jumped into one of their most powerful tunes, "Abducted", showing off lead singer Madeline's broad range and crazy pipes. As they finished, she squeals, "HEY, WE'RE CULTS!" and the audience can't hide their joy. The songs following were equally strong, and they embraced opportunities to just be loud, which was awesome. Lighting was unique as old movie clips were projected on stage in place of some lights, leaving black, white, and gray outlines everywhere. This odd choice was in fact an obvious one, since the members met in New York film school, therefore creatively think outside the box when it comes to their image. Madeline's go-to dance move also influenced the youthful ambiance as she shifted her weight back and forth while twirling her dress around, over and over. The look in her eyes was innocent and dark all at once, representing the contradiction we find in the bridge between sweet childhood and the hints of darker curiosity in young adulthood. Lyrics followed this idea by surrounding going out, stretching outside of boredom, and experiencing full and fun life. The crowd responded to this well, most obviously during the most popular and dance-able track, "Go Outside". Chemistry between the musicians and the audience was natural, and the awkward hipster boys in the front row melted at Madeline's sweet charm when she mouthed with a smile, "I love you too!" The self-titled debut album was exhibited thoroughly, and each member brought an incredible amount of energy to the table. Overall, they made the experience so much pure fun, especially as they completed the night with, "Oh My God", my personal favorite.

 

 

Death Cab for Cutie - CONCERT REVIEW

September 6, 2011

 

I was fortunate enough to have the chance to see Death Cab for Cutie when they appeared at Red Rocks late this August. Holy crap. I hardly even know where to begin. So, I suppose I'll just start chronologically.

We arrived at the beautiful, outdoor venue of Red Rocks as the sun was beginning to set. Surrounded by bright, shining rocks was the opening band, Frightened Rabbit. I became familiar with one of their albums prior to the show, and was really impressed. A couple of people had talked up their live performance, and although they weren't a disappointment, they weren't as mind blowing as I expected. These Scottish "dirty hipsters" (as coined by a friend of mine who claimed - this is your kind of band...dirty hipsters) are a mix between folksy indie rock and foot-stomping traditional. I absolutely love their quirky accents and overall demeanor. There's no doubt that all of the members are talented musicians worthy of a spot on tour with a band like Death Cab, I just don't think I'll be itching to tell everyone I know about them, when I could instead talk about how mind-blowing the main act was.

After much anticipation, Death Cab opened with a four minute build leading up to "I Will Possess Your Heart". That song alone proved to me that this would be one of the most amazing concerts I've seen. They were completely in sync, and their energy was incredible. The beginning of the set was filled with a mix between old classics that have more radio play and newer tracks from their most recent album, Codes and Keys. But toward the end, almost every song included the builds that only Death Cab could provide, and not to mention the climatic drum duo with Gibbard and McGerr. I felt undeniably envious after randomly meeting the guy who caught the drumsticks Gibbard threw into the air. 

One of the truly unexplainable phenomenons about this show is that EVERY SINGLE SONG blew me away. Even the ones they performed that I generally toss to the side and focus less on, like "I Will Follow You into the Dark" were incomparable to any concert experience I've had. Another difference between this show and most that I've seen is that Gibbard kept the chit-chat to a minimum, which I oddly enjoyed. If he had spent half the show telling stories behind their songs, there would be less time for them to play everything they needed to. Also, the lights were phenomenal, as different colors were concentrated on perfectly to fit the mood of the song, such as black and silver for "The New Year", red and orange for "Crooked Teeth", and blueish-gray for more melancholy themes. 

For the encore, Death Cab finished up with one of my favorite tracks from Codes and Keys, "Home is a Fire", as well as one of my favorite favorite favorite songs, "Transatlanticism". Needless to say, I was giddy beyond belief. The car ride home was filled with talk and disappointment regarding which songs they didn't play, but after some thinking, I came to the conclusion that it would have been impossible for them to play every song I wanted to hear, because we would have to have been there two hours longer. So, instead, I focused on how genuinely happy I was with the set they picked and the songs I did have the opportunity to experience live. 

Countless times, I had no choice but to close my eyes, breathe it all in, and promise to myself that I would remember this for the rest of my life. Hopefully, when I'm a thirty-something music junkie and have an long, drawn-out list of shows to brag about through the years, this one will still hold a permanent place.

 

 

New West Fest - FESTIVAL REVIEW

August 31, 2011

 

Near the end of the summer, when all a kid in a Colorado town can look forward to other than school is some good music, the Bohemian Nights New West Fest graces us with its presence. This once-a-year music festival takes place in Old Town Fort Collins for three days. Basically, the streets are flooded with every resident of FoCo looking to people-watch and experience awesome, FREE live music. This year, I was happy to end the summer with a few local favorites, as well as a couple bigger names.

The Friday night kickoff began New West Fest with G. Love and Special Sauce. G. Love is seemingly southern (but from Philly, ironically) and obviously quirky, as his music is nearly impossible to fit into a genre. Is it folk? Blues? Hip hop? "World class rock"? Who knows. One thing I do know is that with a laid-back and "howdy y'all" type attitude, G. Love set a high bar for all bands following up that weekend, and his hints of jazz and hip hop gave him effortless soul. Although I admire him and the band as performers, seeing G. Love and Special Sauce for the third time was a bit anticlimatic. There was little variety in the set, or even song transitions, between the shows I've seen of them. In other words, I'm tired of hearing that song about wine. It just isn't that good, and I knew exactly when he was going to play it. Nevertheless, I always enjoy his eclectic style and the overall concert experience he brings.

Another act I loved was a local favorite, Danielle Ate the Sandwich. They are just so sweet! There's something about seeing a folksy, sway-back-and-forth band that nearly throws me into a happy sleep. Danielle has an overall beautiful tone quality, and maintains a nice balance of a cheery and relaxed sound. All members of the band are quite talented, as most of them are experienced string instrumentalists. I left smiling, I know that for sure.

Fierce Bad Rabbit was a happy surprise for me. I hadn't heard of them before, and decided to give them a shot (considering their description was "indie rock"...I'm biased, whatever). While they pretty much lived up to their indie rock expectation, I would stretch to say that they are perhaps more on the indie pop side. Their female violinist and vocalist was such a powerhouse! She always knew what she was doing and had crazy powerful pipes. With prominent male vocals and drums, they left a strong and positive impression. My hope is that by playing numerous shows at local venues and publicity help from Spokesbuzz, they will gain a broader audience. One reason this show stuck out to me so much was because of the whole scene itself. About three or four songs into the set, we became drenched from the rain, but rather than escaping to shelter, almost the entire crowd stuck around and made the best of the situation; dancing wildly despite the fact it was pouring. Now that's proof of good music, folks. 

My absolute highlight from New West Fest was experiencing the lovable indie-retro-pop of Tennis. A husband and wife duo, Tennis has hints of the 1960s with a modern twist. Alaina's voice, even her talking voice, made me desperate to hear her tell or sing stories. Their sound is on the pure and simplistic side, but seldom boring. Though many of the chord progressions sounds simliar throughout different songs, each one brings enough diversity to keep things interesting. It's shocking that they weren't offered a larger stage to perform on. I instantly became obsessed with this group and basically haven't stopped listening to them since. 
Even though New West Fest toned it down this year compared to last, (no riots...), I was quite pleased with their lineup, especially with these few groups. The enviornment of the event is enough to win me over, as everyone in town stops what they're doing to celebrate the summer, being young (or old), and having a good ol' time.

 

 

Summerfest - FESTIVAL REVIEW

July 19, 2013

 

There's nothing quite like a music festival. Where else could you pay a relatively small fee for pure joy and music variety? In the world of music festivals, it shocks me that most people outside the Midwest, or the city of Milwaukee for that matter, haven't heard of the world's largest outdoor music festival - Summerfest: a ten day event featuring big names such as Matisyahu, Peter Frampton, The Black Keys, Michael Franti, Florence + The Machine, The BoDeans, and much to my dismay, Brittany Spears. 

My Dad and I arrived at Summerfest early in the afternoon to check out the scene and ride the famous "skyglider", showing us a view of the entire festival, which was absolutely huge. There were over ten stages, and hundreds of bands, new and classic, young and old, good and bad, made the trip to Wisconsin to entertain the beer-drinking, bratwurst-eating people of the good ol' Mil-town. After a fair amount of people watching and sightseeing, we thought we'd check out a band we hadn't heard of called Here Come the Mummies. Little did we know that these guys were actually dressed up like mummies and were incredibly talented, despite the "cover your ears, kids" kind of lyrics. Nevertheless, these mummies presented a funky, jazzy, fun show that was pleasantly surprising. 

After the mummies cleared out, Michael Franti and Spearhead came on stage with a collection of delightful, dance-y songs. Franti had an energetic stage presence and successfully involved the crowd in his music. I loved his energy and that of his band, and the audience obviously had a great time, too. His sound was a cool blend of reggae and peppiness, and I admire his hair very much.

Possibly one of the greatest discoveries made at summerfest was a small-scale but charming band called Tommy and the High Pilots. As I was walking by their stage, I liked what I heard and decided to stick around, and thank goodness I did, because I ended up staying until the end of the show and buying a couple albums. The High Pilots are generally upbeat and had great chemistry, strong lead vocals, nice balance, and impressive musical talent for young twenty-somethings. They're difficult to explain, because they aren't exactly like most of what I've heard before. Think of a mix between the fan-friendliness-appropriate-for-your-parents sound of the Fray, high-pitched vocals and youthfulness of Jack's Mannequin, with a pinch of the quirkiness of Ra Ra Riot or Arcade Fire. Actually, the closest comparison may be to Augustana's new album. Good looks may have helped win me over, too. I only speak the truth.

Our trip came to a close by saving the best for the last with The BoDeans. A favorite of both mine and my father's, The BoDeans are your classic old guy rockers who always remain young at heart. Their show far exceeded my high expectations, simply because their songs were even better live. I always admire when a band will play some of my favorite songs and make them sound more awesome in person. There are few things that can win over a Midwestern crowd than locally-grown folsky-rock, and they did just that. 

The only thing that peeved me about Summerfest, other than the main stage acts of Katy Perry and Brittany Spears, was that many of the stages, though seemingly large, were too small for the scale of popularity and space needed to make sure that everyone who wanted to see the acts could. Unfortunately, bands like The Goo Goo Dolls and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros were drowned out by crowds, which made listening to the show physically impossible. Other than that, Summerfest was a huge success to be remembered as one of the best music festival experiences I've had.